


Sad melody

by Riry_mar



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, 半妖の夜叉姫 | Hanyou no Yashahime | Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon (Anime)
Genre: Introspection, Melancholy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:40:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29533524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riry_mar/pseuds/Riry_mar
Summary: Inspired by the final scene of episode 18 of Yashahime.Setsuna is near the sacred tree as she plays her violin, her melody takes her back in time when she felt she was alone in the world.
Relationships: Rin/Sesshoumaru (InuYasha)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Sad melody

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Triste melodia](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29355873) by [Riry_mar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riry_mar/pseuds/Riry_mar). 



My violin marked the time in that long night where the stars illuminated the dark blue of the sky. With my eyes closed I was playing my usual melody, this time imbued with a strange sensation that I could not give a name to.  
Since I was back in the Sengoku era I happened to play, sometimes it was Towa who asked me and, between one snort and the next, I satisfied her. She seemed happy to hear that sound even though it was always the same, she closed her eyes as if she wanted to relax, enter another dimension made of peace and joy. I sensed that in her fantasy I was also there, we lived happily like two sisters who had finally found each other again after 10 years; she who knows if here or in the future where she came from and she aspired to return. Sometimes she closed her eyes and then fell into a long sleep that would end with her awakening the next morning, I stayed there with my instrument staring at her blissful expression. 

But tonight I knew what she was thinking about. 

Over time, playing the violin given to me by Moe, Setsuna's adoptive mother, became more and more a habit, a fixed and latent need that every day grew more and more in my soul as a warrior. It gave me peace of mind, a peace of my own that allowed me to forget everything and everyone for a few minutes, I was no longer in an era full of conflicts and poverty but in a new world made of a thousand different and brilliant colors that Musashi did not have. Playing allowed me to no longer be Setsuna the exterminator or the half demon, I was just myself with my desires and my hidden emotions that escaped within that intense and wonderful sound that I created with my imagination.  
That evening, however, I played differently, my arm always moved in the same way but the intention was completely different, I was trying to get rid of something, of a feeling that until recently was so unknown to me. 

I looked at my sister Towa quikly, she was standing with her hands in her pockets staring at an unknown point in that infinite and dark sky. She was thoughtful, sad, worried, I could see it from her absent gaze and her strange silence.  
She felt the same, how could we pretend nothing happened? We had met our father for the first time and we couldn't pretend that it didn't affect us emotionally one bit.  
I hid my thoughts in my melody, I tried to think of something different, but my mind always ended there, in those moments when he revealed himself in front of us. Towa saw within herself those same images of mine, that powerful and beautiful-looking demon that we met today almost by chance.

Or maybe not, did you come specifically to save us? 

I moved the bow of the violin again with more vigor, maybe I slightly out of tune but I didn't care. 

Why did he only come now? 

My life has changed so much in a short time, I thought I was alone in the world and instead I discovered that I had a twin sister who lived in another era and who spent her time, unlike me, wondering if I was alive and well and unfortunately someone took away my memory, stole my sleep and left me alone in a period where the struggle for survival was everything. 

Who would have imagined that my routine work of exterminating demons would lead me to her, through a strange portal I would have ended up in another era and in such a different way. I attacked her, I collided with her, with that sister whose existence I did not remember and that I did not feel the need to have in my solitary life. That was the beginning of everything, of my new adventure and of my newfound affection for Towa. I admit that at first it was hard for me to open up to her and accept her in my small and closed world for everyone, fortunately she knows how to be loved especially by me and her company has now become indispensable. 

She is cheerful and determined, and this is her determination to find the Butterfly Demon who stole the memories and sleep that allowed us to have that encounter. We had been looking for Mount Musume for days, but our searches had led us nowhere. That Riku had helped us locate the possible home of one of Kirinmaru's servants. We had been good at defeating Konton, Towa's presence gave me a lot of strength, it allowed me not to feel the fatigue of the fight. We headed to chase Totetsu, and it was there that we met Kirinmaru. 

The greater demon really has an unparalleled physical and demonic strength, we tried together with Moroha to attack him but our blows had no effect. Kirinmaru walked over to give us the final blow when he appeared. I can still feel the strong demonic aura of his sword that he launched from the top of the sky, his gesture distracted Kirinmaru, that's how we saved ourselves.  
I didn't think he looked so young and proud, with his pale skin and long, straight silver hair that frames his demon face. As they collided, we were struck by lightning. When we regained our senses it was already sunset and there was no trace of Sesshoumaru and Kirinmaru. 

Of course it was really strange ... I who am an exterminator am the daughter of a powerful demon. 

Often, when I was little, I imagined what my parents could be like. I have often had these thoughts, it is true that Kaede and the exterminators were with me, but in truth I have always felt alone here in the village. At night I walked the streets of Musashi, waiting for day to come, to defeat my sadness that never left me. I could not sleep, it is true that this is great advantage in the Sengoku era but in reality I have always felt as if I was trapped, as if someone were controlling me and, at the same time, taking away my dreams, my memories. Why wasn't I like the others? I didn't have a family or slept like humans.  
I spent my time exterminating demons. Staying in the village was a cause of suffering for me, a strong pain that I felt at heart level. I often saw children playing with each other or with their mothers, in these cases I always wonder where mine was, because she didn't care for me. Was she dead or missing? I didn't know and I didn't have any kind of memory of her. 

Once I was passing through the large green lawn that is behind Kaede's hut. There were some children who made fun of one of their friends, one of them took her doll and didn't want to give it back in any way. The little girl tried with all her strength to snatch it from her hand but he was taller and couldn't get to the right height of her to get it back. He kept teasing her. When he took her doll and threw it to his friends who passed her like a ball.

"They are heartless" I thought that time, children can be really bad. Then blaming a smaller and more defenseless child was just cowardly; if they had done it to me I would not have spared myself, I would have attacked and hit them with all the strength I had. I was about to intervene when in one of the throws the doll broke. The little head was no longer up, the right side was unstitched, the child cried desperately.

"Damn you," I said and took the toy from one of those kids. I waved my naginata in defiance, as they were so confident in their strength they could fight me.

"So?" I invited them to attack me but they fled in fear.  
What cowards. 

"Here you go," I said to the little girl, handing her the toy back.  
She opened her eyes wiping away the last tears. 

"Thank you miss" she smiled at me, she was happy to have taken her back with him. At that moment her mother also arrived who was looking for her, her little girl ran towards her showing her the conditions of her doll. 

"Thank you very much, miss. Aruko, don't worry I'll fix it for you, now let's go home" 

She took Mom's hand, but before leaving she turned and greeted me with her happy hand. 

I remember that lady well: she was tall, slender and with long straight hair. She had such a beautiful and sweet face, she just looked like a loving mom. 

I don't even mum ...

I often wondered what her face mine looked like, if she and I looked alike in any way, if she too enjoyed playing with me. 

What my mom is like, I've often wondered. 

I looked for information in the village but no one knew anything or pretended not to know her. I was an orphan, I had no family, since then I understood that I had to manage by myself, no one would ever care that much about my presence in this life. I became cold and detached with the hope of detaching myself from my own emotions, fears and desires in order to survive as a normal person and not think.  
Exterminating demons was my main goal in life, every time I used my naginata to kill a demon, in my mind I also cut my unspoken suffering in two.

It was strange for me to hear that I was the daughter of a powerful demon, demons that I was exterminating in large quantities around Musashi. If he was so strong why wasn't he with me protecting me? Did he abandoned me? 

I decided I didn't care anymore, I didn't want to know anything. They had left me here alone and in solitude I would have continued on my way. My work was enough, I could survive and if I needed anything I would ask Kaede or Kohaku. My emotions were mine alone, no one had access to my heart. I didn't want to bond with anyone, I feared that I would be left again with no one to rely on.  
I continued to live like this, I fought and fought against demons and dangers, it was enough for me to feel strong in the fight to go on.

But now everything has changed. 

Now I have a sister and a trusted friend, Moroha and together we look forward to the future. I stopped playing and sat with them at the foot of the sacred tree, stared at the sky, who knows now what Sesshoumaru was doing.


End file.
